Railway journal box bearing assembly



Oct. 11, 1966 J. J. l-IENNESSY 3,277,841

I RAILWAY JOURNAL BOX BEARING ASSEMBLY Filed March 9, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG! 25 25 INV NTOR.

Y 4/ ls.

Oct. 11, 1966 J. J. HENNESSY RAILWAY JOURNAL BOX BEARING ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9, 1964 United States Patent 3,277 ,841 RAILWAY JOURNAL BUX BEARING ASSEMBLY James J. Hennessy, 605 Guilford Ave., Qhamhersburg, Pa. Filed Mar. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 350,476 7 @laims. Cl. 10522tl) The invention relates to railway truck axle journal bearings and associated truck frame and lubricating structure and particularly involves an improved bearing and lubricator unit applicable to several million truck frames now in general use on railway rolling stock. Among the objects of the invention are to improve the utility of so-called solid bearings for railway axle journals; to adapt an enclosed journal solid bearing and lubricator unit for ready application to and removal from an axle journal and truck frame; to avoid machining of the journal when the improved bearing and lubricating unit is applied to an existing truck frame, and to provide the bearing and lubricator unit at less expense than earlier journal bearing devices used in the same area.

These and other objects as will appear from the following detailed description are attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is in part a top view of the unit and journal and in part a horizontal section on line 11 of FIG. 6, adjacent portions of the truck frame being shown in section.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of structure shown in FIG. 1 with an adjacent portion of the truck frame shown in section. The truck frame is of the type in general use which includes an integral journal box, portions of which are removed at the time of application of the unit comprising the present invention and these portions to be removed are shown in dot-and-dash lines.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on line 3-3 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 4 is a transverse vertical section on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is in part a front end view of the unit and is in part a. transverse vertical section on line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical section on line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

The truck frame is of the type in which the end portion 1 initially includes a journal box having a top wall 2, and upright front and side walls 3, 4, 5 merging with a transversely curved bottom wall 6, and inner and outer rear walls 7, 8, respectively, having a dust guard pocket 9 between them. A lid 11 hinged to top wall 2 closes the front opening in the box through which the usual bearing, wedge and lubricant packing or pad are applied and removed.

The present invention contemplates the removal of the forward and rear portions of the frame journal box by cutting through the top, bottom and side walls approximately along the lines L indicated in FIG. 2, leaving the frame with relatively short integral axle box top, bottom and side walls but with open ends at the outboard and inboard sides of the frame.

The unit applicable to the frame axle box structure comprises a housing, with upper and lower parts 15, 16, a bearing 18, and a lubricating device 20. The unit is positioned relative to the frame by a retainer 22 as explained below.

Housing upper part .1 5 is of inverted pan-like shape with integral top, side and end walls. Housing lower part 16 is of pan-like form with integral bottom, side and end walls. Housing upper part has ribs 19 (FIG. 6) 0p posing the ends of the bearing 18 and limiting its relative movement. The housing parts are recessed inwardly at 23 forming horizontal lugs 24 which seat bolts 25 and their nuts. The inboard end of the housing is widened 3,277,841 Patented Get. 11, 1966 and provided with laterally projecting horizontal lugs 26 which seat bolts 27 and their nuts. Preferably each side of the housing is recessed inwardly at 31 (FIG. 1) forming horizontal lug's 32, intermediate lugs 24, 26, which seat a third bolt 33 and its nut.

In transverse section the housing may be of any shape which will admit the application of the axle journal 35, including its integral collar 36 and the axle dust guard dry seat 37, axially through the inboard end of the housing and also permit subsequent application of the truck side frame, including the cut-away axle box, axially of the housing to enclose the housing within the integral box walls. Bearing 18 extends substantially the full length of journal 35, between collar 36 and dry seat 37, there being a crevice between the opposite ends of the bearing and the journal collar and dry seat, respectively, for receiving lubricant and reducing friction and undue wear on the opposing faces of the collar and the dry seat fillet 38.

The inner end of the housing projects inboard beyond the inner end of the axle journal and bearing and over the dry seat and is there widened and forms a pocket 40 bounded by a channel-like section with a web 41 paralleling the journal axis, and with flanges 42, 43 extending toward the axis of the journal. A circular seal is received in recess 40 and comprises two rings 45, 4-6 telescoping with each other and confining an annulus 47 contracted by a garter spring 48 to bear against dry seat 37. The seal may shift along the dry seat independently of the relative position of bearing and the journal collar dry seat fillet. The seal is the subject matter of a pending application filed February 15, 1961, Serial No. 89,559, now patent 3,231,- 286, issued on a continuation-in-part Serial No. 358,150, filed April 6, 1964. The application of the seal to the dry seat avoids reduction of the bearing surface and the play of the seal in recess 40 avoids machining and fitting together of the seal and housing parts.

The housing top wall is recessed at 54, forming upright shoulders facing inboard and outboard of the housing and frame. The retainer 22 is a fiat plate received in the recess with its side edges opposing the shoulders 55. The plate is thicker than the depth of the recess and supports the truck frame through the top wall of the frame journal box. The ends of retainer 22 are notched at 57 providing ears 58 which oppose spaced shoulders 60 on the inner side walls of the frame box which are usually present in journal boxes to position the journal bearing. The interengagement of the retainer with the housing and the frame box wall shoulder elements positions the housing and its contents relative to the frame transversely of the latter.

Housing bottom part'16 constitutes a sump for lubricating oil and receptacle for a lubricant distributor 20 consisting of cushion slabs 61 and tufted yarn wicking 62 and mounting structure as shown in Patent 3,077,369, issued to the present applicant February 12, 1963.

An opening 64 in the housing front wall is normally closed by a cover plate 65 pivoted at 66 to swing to uncover the opening for the addition of oil.

The assembly including the housing upper and lower parts 15, 16, the gasket 31 between them, the usual solid bearing 18 for the journal, the retainer 22, positioning the housing transversely of the truck frame cut away box, the six bolts, 25, 2'7, 33 and their nuts, with the separately formed lubricant distributor and seal units 20, 46, total thirteen parts to be handled by the workman when installing or replacing the assembly on a journal. All of these parts are interchangeable and no special machining or fitting is required either of the unit or of the journal. The assembly is applicable to an Association of American Railroads (A.A.R.) axle journal with integral collar, whether new or worn, without any change of the latter and it is not necessary to fit the journal seal 46 to the axle dry seat 37 or to the housing. 'Even though the front and rear walls of the box are removed, the continuity and rigidity of the deep rectangular section of the frame is retained.

Because of the clearance between the lower housing part 16 and the bottom wall 6 of the frame box, the truck frame may be applied transversely of its length to the package unit mounted on the journal until retainer 22 is in vertical alignment with box shoulders 60, and then the frame may be lowered onto the retainer and thus the frame and package unit will be securely positioned transversely of the frame. Reverse movements provide disassembly of the frame journal box and the housing.

The details of the structure may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of those modifications coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a railway truck side frame including integral axle box structure with top, bottom and side walls but with open ends at the outboard and inboard sides of the frame and adapted to receive an axle journal, and a housing therefor applicable to and removable from the box structure through the open end thereof at the inboard side of the frame, the housing including a pan-like lower part with integral bottom, side and end walls, forming a sump for lubricant, and an inverted pan-like upper part with integral top, side and end walls, the inner face of said top wall being recessed to receive a separate journal bearing, detachable means securing said parts together, projecting elements on the inner side walls of said frame box structure spaced apart and facing away from each other transversely of the side frame, projecting elements on the upper wall of said housing spaced apart and facing toward each other transversely of the side frame, a separable retainer member normally engaging all said elements and supporting said box top wall when said housing and frame are assembled in normal functioning relation and holding said housing in position transversely of said frame, there being clearance between the bottom walls of said axle box structure and said housing providing for their relative vertical movement to disalign said retainer from said projecting elements and accommodate movement of said housing through an open end of said axle box structure.

2. In combination, a railway truck side frame including integral box structure comprising top, bottom and side walls but with open ends inboard and outboard of the frame, and a housing applicable thereto and removable therefrom through the outboard side of the frame, the housing including a pan-like lower part said pan-like parts comprising a chamber for lubricant and a bearing, and an inverted pan-like upper part, said parts having meeting edges, providing a sealing joint between the-m, said box structure side walls having parallel upright ribs spaced apart, said chamber upper part having an upwardly open recess with sides extending transversely of the side frame, there being a retainer normally positioned in and substantially filling said recess and including ends extending beyond said recess and there notched to receive said ribs and engageable with said recess sides and said ribs to hold the housing against movement lengthwise of said housing.

3. A combination set forth in claim 2 in which the pan like parts also include a separately formed continuous annular seal of greater diameter than the inner circumference of the housing and insertible in said recess by the separation of the housing parts from each other.

4. In combination with a railway truck side frame and housing for lubricant and a bearing according to claim 2, a railway axle journal supporting the bearing, housing and side frame and there being an integral collar at the outboard end of the journal and a dust guard seat at the inboard end of the journal, said collar and seat each being of greater diameter than the bearing supporting portion of the journal and the housing being substantially longer than the journal and enclosing the forward end thereof and surrounding said seat, and a separately formed continuous annular seal loosely received in the portion of the housing surrounding the dust guard seat and contacting the latter.

5. In combination, a railway truck side frame including integral axle box structure having integral top, bottom and side walls, but having open ends at the outboard and inboard sides of the frame, and adapted to admit an axle journal lengthwise, and a housing applicable to and removable from the box structure through an open end thereof the housing including a pan-like lower part with integral bottom, side and outer end walls and an inverted pan-like upper part with integral top, side and outer end walls, detachable means securing said parts together, a separable bearing for supporting said upper part on a journal, elements positioning said bearing and upper part relative to each other lengthwise of the box structure, said housing outer end walls being positioned outboard of said axle box structure and the inner end including portions extending lengthwise of the housing beyond the inboard end of said frame box walls and forming an inner peripheral channellike section with its web extending lengthwise of the housing axis and with its flanges extending toward said axis, and a circular oil and dust seal device seated in said recess and movable therein lengthwise of the housing.

6. A combination according to claim 5 which includes an axle with a journal normally in supporting engagement with the bearing and having a collar at one end and a dry seat at its other end, the bearing extending from end to end of the journal, and the seal device encircling and fitting against the periphery of the dry seat independently of the engagement of the journal and bearing ends and movable lengthwise of the axle independently of the bearing.

7. In combination, a railway truck side frame, provided with axle box structure having top, bottom and side walls, there being a pair of internal shoulders on at least one of said walls spaced apart transversely of said frame and facing away from each other, a housing insertible into said box structure transversely of said frame and having a pair of external shoulders spaced apart and opposing each other transversely of said frame, a separable retainer between and opposing the shoulders of each of said pairs to position the box structure and the housing relative to each other transversely of the frame, said housing having a top wall with internal ribs spaced apart lengthwise of the housing, and a journal bearing seated against said top wall in the space between said ribs and positioned by the latter transversely of the frame, and an axle journal having an integral collar and fillet at its opposite ends engaging respectively the opposite ends of said bearing and holding the housing and side frame against relative movement transversely of the frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,004,921 6/1935 Blue 308- 2,710,779 6/1955 Jackson 30886 2,720,431 10/1955 Browne et al 308-83 2,946,631 7/1960 Cox 30883 3,077,369 2/1963 Hennessy 308-243 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. FRANK SUSKO, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A RAILWAY TRUCK SIDE FRAME INCLUDING INTEGRAL AXLE BOX STRUCTURE WITH TOP, BOTTOM AND SIDE WALLS BUT WITH OPEN ENDS OF THE OUTBOARD AND INBOARD SIDES OF THE FRAME AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AN AXLE JOURNAL, AND A HOUSING THEREFOR APPLICABLE TO AND REMOVABLE FROM THE BOX STRUCTURE THROUGH THE OPEN END THEREOF AT THE INBOARD SIDE OF THE FRAME, THE HOUSING INCLUDING A PAN-LIKE LOWER PART WITH INTEGRAL BOTTOM, SIDE AND END WALL, FORMING A SUMP FOR LUBRICANT, AND AN INVERTED PAN-LIKE UPPER PART WITH INTEGRAL TOP, SIDE AND END WALLS, THE INNER FACE OF SAID TOP WALL BEING RECESSED TO RECEIVE A SEPARATE JOURNAL BEARING, DETACHABLE MEANS SECURING SAID PARTS TOGETHER, PROJECTING ELEMENTS ON THE INNER SIDE WALLS OF SAID FRAME BOX STRUCTURE SPACED APART AND FACING AWAY FROM EACH OTHER TRANSVERSELY OF THE SIDE FRAME, PROJECTING ELEMENTS ON THE UPPER WALL OF SAID HOUSING SPACED APART AND FACING TOWARD EACH OTHER TRANSVERSELY OF THE SIDE FRAME, A SEPARABLE RETAINER MEMBER NORMALLY ENGAGING ALL SAID ELEMENTS AND SUPPORTING SAID BOX TOP WALL WHEN SAID HOUSING AND FRAME ARE ASSEMBLED IN NORMAL FUNCTIONING RELATION AND HOLDING SAID HOUSING IN POSITION TRANSVERSELY OF SAID FRAME, THERE BEING CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE BOTTOM WALLS OF SAID AXLE BOX STRUCTURE AND SAID HOUSING PROVIDING FOR THEIR RELATIVE VERTICAL MOVEMENT TO DISALIGN SAID RETAINER FROM SAID PROJECTING ELEMENTS AND ACCOMMODATE MOVEMENT OF SAID HOUSING THROUGH AN OPEN END OF SAID AXLE BOX STRUCTURE. 